UFC CEO Dana White fully intends to be involved when Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford potentially meet in what could be the biggest boxing match of 2025.
Speaking after UFC 316 on Saturday night, White dismissed recent speculation that he had withdrawn from promoting the Canelo vs. Crawford event. This followed a social media post by his business partner, Turki Alalshikh (chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and a key figure funding the new boxing initiative led by UFC`s parent company, TKO Group Holdings). Alalshikh had posted that Sela would promote the event and it would air on DAZN pay-per-view.
This social media update came after Alalshikh had initially announced White as the event’s promoter, positioning it as the launchpad for the new partnership with TKO.
White confirmed he is definitely still working on the Canelo vs. Crawford fight and asserted that his relationship with Alalshikh and Saudi Arabia remains exceptionally strong.
Reacting to the latest rumors concerning his involvement, White commented, “I`ll tell you what`s interesting. There are many challenging aspects to boxing, but they keep things quiet. Nobody talks. It`s quite remarkable. If we sign a deal [in the UFC], I have to immediately announce it because thousands of people will be discussing it. These boxing guys don`t talk.”
He added, “I am promoting the fight [between Canelo and Crawford]. I will let you all know when it is the appropriate time.”
The most recent update regarding the planned event suggested the fight might occur on September 13th, but the location is still undecided.
White anticipates that comprehensive details about Canelo vs. Crawford, including the exact date, location, venue, and all other specifics, will be announced in the near future. However, he stated he is not bothered by discussions on social media or elsewhere.
White remarked, “I`m focused on my work. I don`t pay attention to any of that. I know what`s happening, I know what our plans are. I don`t really focus on that stuff. It doesn`t matter to me.”
Regarding his relationship with Alalshikh, White assured that there have been no difficulties between them.
While they may not speak daily, White is confident their relationship and partnership are solid as they prepare to embark on this new venture together, starting with Canelo vs. Crawford in September.
He simply stated, “We`re good. We`re very good.”
Alalshikh seemingly corroborated this, confirming via tweet that White is indeed the promoter behind Canelo vs. Crawford, with more announcements expected soon.
On Sunday, Alalshikh wrote, “My brother Dana will promote this fight. It is the fight of Riyadh Season, and we have a deal with TKO to promote it and it will be the biggest fight in boxing. Tomorrow, I believe I will share the details, platform, and location for this fight, me and Dana.”
